Sincerely Definition & Meaning

American

Usage

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms sincerely American [sin-seer-lee] / sɪnˈsɪər li /

adverb

1. in a way that is genuine, earnest, or truthful.

   We sincerely hope you can accept our apology.

2. a conventional term used at the end of a letter.

   Sincerely, Mrs. Rose McNair.

Usage

Spelling tips for sincerely The word sincerely is hard to spell because many often miss the second e, as in sincerly, or they include it in the wrong place, as in sincerley. Also, sometimes people may be confused about whether and where the s and c go, as in sinserely or cinserely. How to spell sincerely: The easiest way to remember how to spell sincerely is to start with the adjective sincere. This helps you include the second e in the right place, as sincer would be pronounced quite differently than sincere. Then, you turn sincere into an adverb by adding the typical adverb-forming suffix -ly, resulting in sincerely. To help you remember that sincerely has an s and then a c, keep in mind the phrase "sincere scout." Scout uses an s followed by a c, just like sincere.

Etymology

Origin of sincerely

First recorded in 1560–70; sincere ( def. ) + -ly ( def. ); sincerely def. 2 recorded in 1700–05

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“We sincerely apologize,” the organizers on social media, “if the players, the live audience and the vast majority of online viewers had a good time.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Stellar Energy says it ''sincerely regrets any distress this situation has caused the family'' and says its priority is ''providing a final resolution to ensure the home meets the high standards'' it strives for.

From BBC

"We sincerely hope the new fuel finder scheme, combined with ongoing scrutiny from the CMA, finally leads to increased competition and lower forecourt prices for drivers right across the country."

From BBC

"We sincerely accept the criticism that the difficulty of questions... was inappropriate," said Suneung chief Oh Seung-geol, adding that the test "fell short" despite having gone through several rounds of editing.

From BBC

At the time of the verdict, Dr Benson-Strohmayer said he hoped the conviction would impact the current conflict, but "sincerely" doubted it will.

From BBC

Related Words

• candidly
• deeply
• earnestly
• genuinely
• naturally
• profoundly
• really
• truly
• truthfully
• wholeheartedly

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.